Leading Technology's PC Partner LX is a super machine for two reasons: high
technology and low price.

Designed with new computer users in mind, it comes straight out of the box
ready to plug in. It's equipped with everything today's computer whiz needs
(to get started, anyway), and you have the option of ordering an array of
peripherals as you expand your knowledge.

The PC Partner LX comes with two floppy drives (51/4- and 3 1/2-inch),
allowing you to use both disk formats. It's equipped with a 40MB hard drive,
a full megabyte of memory (many new software packages require a meg), and a
VGA monitor. In short, the package has everything you need to run all your
favorite--or soon-to-be-favorite-applications.

It took me less than ten minutes to set up the unit. The ports at the back of
the machine are clearly marked, so there was no confusion as to where to plug
what. There are ports marked for the keyboard, mouse, joystick, and monitor,
in addition to two serial ports and one parallel port for the printer. The
connectors are the thumbscrew type, so no tools are needed.

The documentation that accompanies this unit is logical and easy to read. The
layout of the manuals and an extensive index make it easier to find that one
bit of information you don't have.

The PC Partner comes with HyperDOS already loaded on the hard drive. HyperDOS
is the neophyte computer user's best friend. In clear and concise language,
this GUI (Graphical User Interface) teaches you what you need to know about
your computer and gives you a great environment in which to apply your
knowledge.

HyperDOS is split into two basic sections: Knowledge and Accessories. In the
Knowledge group you can find information on computer care, hardware
components, warranty issues, repair, and technical support. It's nice knowing
that when you need it, the information is easily accessible even if--God
forbid--your children colored on the tech support pages of your manual.

The Accessories section provides you with all the desktop features you need to
keep up with your busy schedule: a calendar for all your important
activities, a letter writer for your correspondence, an address book for your
friends' whereabouts, and a calculator for your finances. The DOS operations
screen shows note cards with DOS commands (in perfect syntax) written on the
top, with an explanation of the commands below. All you do is click on the
card to execute the command. You can use the DOS Shell to explore your
operating system and actually see and learn how it works. There's even a
Program Manager section that enables you to access your favorite add-in
programs from the GUI. The instructions on how to add easy to follow.

If you like, this can be the computer that you built. Leading Technology
offers many options at reasonable prices. Larger hard drives, memory upgrades
(to 4MB), internal and external modems, mice, sound boards, high-resolution
video cards, and CD-ROM drives are some of the options available. The unit
that I worked with had the standard 640 x 480, .52-resolution VGA monitor, and
if I were purchasing one of these units (which I'd certainly consider), I'd
opt for the higher-resolution monitor. When you're doing marathon stretches
of computer work (such as when you discover the hottest new action game and
play it for eight hours straight), the first thing to go is your eyes.
Anthing to eliminate the itching and burning eyes and headache is worth a few
dollars more.

You may also opt for additional software. Leading Technology offers several
types of bundled software. Preschool, Grammar School, High School,
Entertainment, Personal Home Manager, and Business Manager bundles are
available. Each bundle contains six software programs. Window Works and Lotus
Workers are also offered.

At $1,199 for the basic computer, the PC Partner LX is priced well under its
competitors. For someone who's just breaking into the money pit of home
computing (there's always another gadget or some new software package with
better ... whatever to put on your wish list), it's a reasonable price for
better than reasonable performance.